Amusement rides come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. One conventional type of amusement ride is a zip-line. Typical zip-line amusement rides include a pulley or trolley suspended on a cable that is mounted on an incline. One or more users are secured to the trolley through the use of a safety harness, by manually gripping the trolley, or various other means. Conventionally, users are suspended from the trolley in an upright or partially seated position. The trolley, with a user or users secured thereto, is propelled by gravity downward along the inclined cable.
Zip-line amusement rides typically include braking features to slowly reduce the speed of the trolley as it approaches a user unloading zone, such that the trolley slows to a stop within the user unloading zone. Some braking features include mechanical brakes. Other braking features include introducing sufficient slack to the inclined cable such that the trolley travels slightly upward to slow down the trolley before reaching the end of the cable. After reducing the speed of the trolley upon approach to a user unloading zone, braking features can be configured to completely stop the trolley without user intervention, or require user intervention (e.g., dragging feet or controlled running) in order to bring the trolley to a complete stop.
Regardless of the type of braking features, and whether user intervention is required, the slack and height of the inclined cables of conventional zip-line amusement rides are configured such that the user comes to a stop over a user unloading zone in a position close enough to the ground (e.g., over an unload zone near the end of the cable) to allow the user to step onto the ground, support himself, and easily unload from the ride without vertically lowering the cable or trolley. Because the trolley is significantly slowed down upon approach to the user unloading zone, there is no need to raise the height of the cable to elevate a user's feet above the user unloading zone. Moreover, because the user comes to a stop within the user unloading zone in close proximity to the ground, there is no need to lower the cable or trolley to allow a user to unload from the ride.